“India's bid for seat will complicate UNSC reforms”

Pakistan Foreign Office cautions U.S. against supporting the bid

Within minutes of United States President Barack Obama expressing support for India's claim for a permanent seat in any reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Pakistan on Monday said New Delhi's conduct with its neighbours and “continued flagrant violation” of UNSC resolutions on Jammu & Kashmir discredited its aspirations of being recognised as a global power.

Taking due note of Mr. Obama's statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement said this “endorsement of India's bid” for a permanent seat on the UNSC would add to the complexity of the Council's reforms process.

“Pakistan hopes that the U.S. — which contributed immensely to the founding of the UN system and, in particular, its Charter principles — will take a moral view and not base itself on any temporary expediencies or exigencies of power politics.”

According to the statement, in a globalised and interdependent world, multilateral cooperation can flourish only if it is based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter and is consistent with the recognized norms of inter-state conduct and international law.

Reiterating Islamabad's position on UNSC reforms, the Foreign Office said Pakistan's stance is based on principles.

“Any reform of the Council that contradicts the very fundamental principles of the UN Charter — including the principle of sovereign equality, of equal rights and self-determination and the principle of collective security — would gravely undermine the system of international relations based on the UN Charter principles.”

This is the second time in four days that Pakistan has commented on India's claim to permanent membership of the UNSC and cautioned the U.S. against supporting it. A day ahead of Mr. Obama's arrival in India on Saturday, Pakistan had warned that any endorsement of the Indian bid for a permanent seat on UNSC would have a negative impact on peace and security in South Asia.